Apple Updates App Store Review Guidelines to Allow Streaming Game Services That Submit Each Game to the App Store [Updated]

[Lounge vibes 05]

I hope Apple follows its own rules. Remove arcade from the App Store, make it its own app, and bring the updates tab back.
Then, if you have the arcade app on your phone, you can use it to link to every single game. Every game will have its own App Store page, so when you tap an app from the arcade user interface, it will open an App Store page where you can download it.

 

[Minxy]

I wonder if after the legal battle with Epic Games, and the start of anti-trust investigations Apple decided this was one fight to surrender.

 

[gr8hii]

What’s next, all movies on Netflix, disney plus, etc, need to be submitted to itunes Too? Same for all songs streaming on pandora, Spotify, and Amazon music?

 

[Stuey3D]

The only way I see this working for Xcloud which is free for GamePass ultimate subscribers is to basically have an Xcloud wrapper for each game which you can then sign in with your Microsoft account and then once verified you can play as normal.

It seems like a very messy way to do things, but I guess better than nothing.

That means users could potentially have a bunch of tiny little apps for each game they play, imagine a folder with over 100 game icons in it. Gonna really mess with people who prefer the minimal approach to their phones.

Saying that though being able to tap an icon for Sea of Thieves and having the game just launch without going through a separate launcher would actually be quite cool and much quicker to get users into the game I guess.

 

[itsmilo]

Streaming games „must be downloaded“ huh???

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

The only way I see this working for Xcloud which is free for GamePass ultimate subscribers is to basically have an Xcloud wrapper for each game which you can then sign in with your Microsoft account and then once verified you can play as normal.

It seems like a very messy way to do things, but I guess better than nothing.

That means users could potentially have a bunch of tiny little apps for each game they play, imagine a folder with over 100 game icons in it. Gonna really mess with people who prefer the minimal approach to their phones.

Don’t forget the app library exists now, so you don’t have to have all your apps scattered on your home screen. You could have them all hidden away in the app library

 

[zorinlynx]

Can someone explain "streaming games" to me? Does the game software really run on a remote machine on the Internet and stream the video to the device, while the device streams control inputs back to the server on the Internet? How is this not a horrible pile of latency fail?

When you think about how incredibly cheap CPU/GPU power and memory is, how does this make any sense at all?

 

[Rogifan]

Not exactly. Basically, there would be a XCloud app that acts like a portal to all the other apps. When you go to download one, it uses the App Store to complete the download process. Then it links to the XCloud subscription service. So you can either leave them as icons on your home screen, or just have the XCloud app as a launcher For XCloud titles

Seems really convolute. Why do these games have to be individual apps listed in the App Store? And why does Apple need to review them? They don’t review streaming video content.

 

[topdrawer]

Can someone explain "streaming games" to me? Does the game software really run on a remote machine on the Internet and stream the video to the device, while the device streams control inputs back to the server on the Internet? How is this not a horrible pile of latency fail?

When you think about how incredibly cheap CPU/GPU power and memory is, how does this make any sense at all?

the game runs on remote servers and are not downloaded to your device. you play a streamed video of the rendered game. apple's policy is absurd.

 

[GadgetBen]

There you go Epic, you don't need a lawsuit to get things changed.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

What’s next, all movies on Netflix, disney plus, etc, need to be submitted to itunes Too? Same for all songs streaming on pandora, Spotify, and Amazon music?

Very very different situation. That’s just streaming video.

 

[Rogifan]

I wonder if after the legal battle with Epic Games, and the start of anti-trust investigations Apple decided this was one fight to surrender.

What exactly did they surrender?

Very very different situation. That’s just streaming video.

How is this different?

 

[Maetzle]

How is this not a horrible pile of latency fail?

When you think about how incredibly cheap CPU/GPU power and memory is, how does this make any sense at all?

Have you tried it? If you have a proper internet connection it's a good experience. I've been using Nvidia GeforceNow to stream games on my Mac since early this year without any problems. I've been using Project xCloud on an Android tablet in beta too and - apart from a few hitches - it felt great.

"When you think about how incredibly cheap CPU/GPU power and memory is, how does this make any sense at all?" - but not hardware to game on? What are you on about? And have you seen Macs? They are not cheap in the slightest.

 

[Stuey3D]

What I don’t understand is how Apple is going to review each game code. I understand that principle for apps that run natively on the iOS device itself but how are they going to review a video stream? Are they going to have pro gamers sat in an office somewhere to complete every single game or something.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Seems really convolute. Why do these games have to be individual apps listed in the App Store? And why does Apple need to review them? They don’t review streaming video content.

Apple Arcade has everyone of its apps as individual apps. I might not fully agree with it, but at least they’re being equal here. The only thing I wish they would do is separate Apple Arcade into its own app

 

[0092762]

Very very different situation. That’s just streaming video.

Game streaming is also just streaming video with user inputs. How is that a "very very different situation"?

 

[iZac]

In other news, Netflix now has to individually submit all its content for rating and censorship to remove any naughty bits.

 

[JosephAW]

Prefer games that play offline and don’t require internet access to play.

 

[WiiDSmoker]

Very very different situation. That’s just streaming video.

uhhhhhhh

 

[Puonti]

What I don’t understand is how Apple is going to review each game code. I understand that principle for apps that run natively on the iOS device itself but how are they going to review a video stream?

Apple doesn't review the code of games and apps on the App Store. No change here.

 

[0092762]

Can someone explain "streaming games" to me? Does the game software really run on a remote machine on the Internet and stream the video to the device, while the device streams control inputs back to the server on the Internet? How is this not a horrible pile of latency fail?

When you think about how incredibly cheap CPU/GPU power and memory is, how does this make any sense at all?

If you have a good connection with <15ms lag, the latency is actually not bad at all, I was also skeptical but it's pretty good. Of course with cellular connections, the latency will not be that low but it's not bad with a fiber connection. Still noticable difference to running it natively though, but small and not all games rely on twitch reflexes anyway.

 

[truthier]

same reason why i gave it up back in 2012 with onlive. latency is still terrible

Except it is not, it depends on your connection, your wifi... just another person who thinks his experience is everyones experience. It also has nothing to do with the topic, who cares about your lazy opinion, its about Apple requiring a STREAMING service to make the games downloadable....defeating the purpose of it being a streaming service.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Game streaming is also just streaming video with user inputs. How is that a "very very different situation"?

Because while playing a game, you might be forced to pay for a part of that game. A level or something like that.
If you have a Netflix subscription, all the Netflix app does is show you the video. It’s just a video viewer. You don’t watch stranger things episode one, then you get through half of episode two and you have to complete an in app purchase to watch the second half.
Same with YouTube

 

[h3nrch]

Looking forward to installing “Fortnite for GeForce Now” by nVidia

 

[0092762]

Because while playing a game, you might be forced to pay for a part of that game. A level or something like that.
If you have a Netflix subscription, all the Netflix app does is show you the video. It’s just a video viewer. You don’t watch stranger things episode one, then you get through half of episode two and you have to complete an in app purchase to watch the second half.
Same with YouTube

Amazon Prime Video has movies/shows that are included with prime and others you can pay for in the app. How is game streaming different?